Behind the Scenes: How Forming America Renovates Formwork to Extend Its Life
Concrete formwork takes a beating. Every pour exposes it to pressure, moisture, abrasion, and the rigors of jobsite handling. Over time, even the highest-quality systems begin to show wear—panels warp, faces degrade, and hardware weakens. But that doesn’t mean it’s time to toss your investment. In fact, for many contractors, it’s exactly when they call us.
At Forming America, we’ve built a reputation not only for supplying excellent forming systems but for bringing old equipment back to life. Our renovation process is a behind-the-scenes service that delivers real savings to contractors across the country—and extends the usable life of equipment by years.
The process starts with an inspection. Every shipment that arrives at our facility is evaluated for structural integrity and potential reuse. We don’t just slap a coat of paint on old panels. Instead, our team checks welds, assesses frames, and replaces damaged components—especially those that affect safety and alignment. Plywood faces are a major point of attention; if they’re chipped, delaminated, or excessively worn, they’re removed and replaced with new high-quality faces designed to handle more pours with better finish results.
One of the keys to our renovation work is consistency. Because we work primarily with Steel-Ply and compatible systems, we know exactly how they’re engineered and what each piece is supposed to do. This allows us to repair and refinish with precision—so that every renovated panel locks in cleanly with new ones on your jobsite.
There’s also a sustainability angle. Renovating and reusing formwork reduces waste, cuts down on raw material consumption, and keeps perfectly usable equipment in circulation. For contractors working toward LEED points or simply looking to reduce their environmental impact, it’s a smart move that aligns with modern building goals.
And then there’s the bottom line. Renovated formwork typically costs significantly less than buying new, without sacrificing performance. For contractors running high-volume jobs, or managing forming inventory across multiple crews or sites, the savings can be substantial.
Renovating your forming systems isn’t just about cost, though—it’s about confidence. When you send equipment out for reuse, you want to know it’s jobsite-ready. That’s why we back every renovated shipment with the same support and expertise that we offer to our rental and sales customers.
If you’ve got a stack of worn panels or formwork that’s been sitting idle for too long, don’t count it out just yet. Give us a call. We’ll inspect it, give you a no-pressure assessment, and let you know if renovation is a good fit.
Call (630) 231-6900 or visit formingamerica.com to learn more about our renovation services and how to keep your forming equipment working harder—for longer.
